Washed up
by Little Miss. Maple
Summary: Matthew Williams is an 18 year old merman who lost his family pod when he was 8 years old, now living with dolphins. On a fateful day Matthew ended up getting caught in a storm that swept him away from his family. Alfred Jones is a fisherman, a good one, he works for his uncles in Newfoundland along the coast. His father works long hours and Alfred hardly sees him now these days.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter: Prologue

"Mama! Papa!" a child of the age of 8 cried over the sounds of his pod screaming.

"Matthew!" a woman with black hair swam towards her young son, her warm blue eyes filled with worry and fear.

Matthew saw his father swim towards him and his mother and grabbed their wrists and pulled them deeper into the water and led them behind a giant rock. Matthew looked at his father who had blond hair and violet eyes that were filled with worry and he pulled Matthew and his wife into a hug.

"You have to escape Matthew." His father said.

Matthew shook his head as tears welled in his violet-blue eyes. Matthew's red and white striped tail swished nervously as he held onto his mother's hand, a small pout on his light pink lips.

"But… I-I don't want to leave you or Mama!" Matthew cried.

Suddenly loud explosions went off and the after shock cause Matthew to hit a boulder behind him, a squeak of pain fell pass his lips. A metal hook dug itself into the small child's right bicep, blood slowly drifted out.

"Go Matthew! We'll keep them away from you for as long as possible!" His father said.

"Please my sweet baby boy. Live for us please." His mother begged.

Matthew started crying as he swam to his parents and hugged them as he cried; ignoring the pain in his arm. His Mother ran her through his wavy blond hair. His father hugged the two placing a kiss on Matthew's head before placing a necklace on Matthew, his mother doing the same as well. The necklaces both had sand dollars on them, Matthew had one that was almost identical to his parents but his had part of a clam on it.

"Go, before they find you!" Matthew was gently pushed away from the destruction of his family pod.

Matthew gave one last look before swimming away with tears in his eyes, the further he swam the quieter the screams came. The child swam faster and eventually found a pod of dolphins. The child didn't know what to do he was into much shock and was terrified of his new surroundings.

A dolphin noticed the child and swam over and felt the fear coming from the child and clicked and whistled gently to the boy.

Matthew carefully swam closer and the dolphin nuzzled him lightly before gently biting the metal hook and removed it; ripping a bit of the child's skin in the process, Matthew cried in pain when the hook was removed. Other dolphins surrounded the child and started to whistle and click in gentle tunes and calmed the young merchild.

The child fell asleep and the dolphins took the boy with them, biting a red scarf that was wrapped around the child's neck while making sure that the boy didn't choke. Some of the older dolphins hunted for the child while the mother dolphins watched the child in their homes in the sand close to the shore.

* * *

Matthew was 10 years old and it has been two years since he last seen his original family pod and wonders if his parents were alive, if they were, were they looking for him? Matthew came to love his new family and learned how to hunt and talk like they do. His siblings were protective of him and the same with Matthew for them.

When a shark was attacking his family Matthew fended it off with a rock. He was only 9 when it happened, but he came out with a shark tooth and a cut above his left brow. Matthew made a knife with the tooth, using seaweed and a piece of green hardwood(Bamboo). It sat on his waist with his makeshift seaweed belt.

Matthew swam with his siblings catching shrimp and some fish for lunch. The kid loved shrimp but liked fish as well. Matthew swam around with his sibling snatching fish and eating them as he went along before returning to his pod once again.

* * *

It was Matthew's 13th birthday and Matthew found himself with his siblings trying to save a small frightened seal from a net. The young preteen carefully cut the ropes, while softly speaking to the seal.

"Your going to be okay, I just need to cut one last part of the net and then your free!" Matthew said.

Cutting the rope around the mammals tail. Once the seal was free, it swam behind the boy and nuzzled his back. Matthew giggled as he and his siblings led the seal away from any future danger and Matthew had gained a new friend.

"I'm going to call you Kumajiour! Kuma for short!" Matthew chirped.

The seal licked the blonds nose and swam happily with the small group.

* * *

Over the years Matthew had grew up into a strong young man. His honey blond hair just barely touched his shoulders, his violet-blue eyes shined brightly, he had a longer red scarf and was using his old scar as a mini bag for any shells that he has found. His necklaces hung around his neck, a scar that looked like a jagged 'C' on his right bicep. His tail was brighter and the red stood out against the bright white.

"Come on Kuma! We have to catch up with the others!" Matthew chuckled as he grabbed the lazy seal and pulled him along.

A grin on his pale pink lips, the glimmer of the sun made his pale ivory look like the snow in the far north of the ocean. Matthew giggled as he swam faster towards his pod, not noticing the quick changes in the oceans weather.

* * *

A/N:

I hope that you like this prologue for Washed up please let me know what you think I would love to hear from all of you fine readers!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

(I don't know how to do accents so everyone will be talking normally)

Matthew and his friend Kuma both swam towards the pod when the underwater current around them started to push and pull the two around. Matthew held Kuma tighter as he tried to swim faster and harder, calling out to his pod before the underwater current swept them away.

"AHHH!" Matthew cried out, as he was taken away from his family.

Kuma let out a sound of distress as the two were thrown about by the underwater storm. Matthew tried to swim to the oceans floor, were it would be easier to swim. The blond struggled to do anything and still held Kuma to his chest determined to stay together. A dark shape came hurling towards the two and latched itself onto Matthews tail, causing the teen to scream and curl in on himself and his seal friend. The two were taken to a rocky shore line, the two friends fell unconscious; Matthews arms still tightly wrapped around the seal.

* * *

"ALFRED!" A voice roared.

Alfred shot out of bed and rushed to get ready, as loud footsteps thundered down the hallway. When Alfred was dressed in his washed out clad jeans a blue shirt that had a picture of Captain America on it, he then opened the door and blinked at his uncle. His uncle had blond hair that was messy neat, blue eyes ivory skin with freckles across his nose and big bushy brows. The blond was wearing his fisher's wear that had red paint on it.

"Alfred. Did. You. Do. This?!" He hissed.

Alfred blinked before frowning. The teen knew to never mess you the work clothes, even if they are a boring black, since his uncles and his father would lecture him about how he is not being responsible.

"No… I think it was that stupid Cuban, Carlos, you know how he hates me. He could have done it! The dude literally works at a paint shop! I would never do that, cause I have you, uncle Alistair, uncle dylan and my dad to chew me out if I did!" Alfred answered honestly.

His uncle, Aaron, sighed before nodding. He knew the moment that Alfred moved from the coast of New York to a small fishers town in Newfound that the teen would have a bit of a hard time with some of the locals, but Alfred was a good fisherman.

"I'll talk to Carlos's grandfather about this. For now it is with the painted suits… Let's go lad." Aaron said, Alfred nodded and followed his uncle out to the docks.

"So do you know where dad is today?" Alfred asked, shoving his hands into his back pockets.

"No, I'm afraid he didn't." The blond said.

Alfred sighed at this. Ever since his dad's job had fired him, the man has been looking for jobs until he landed one. The down side of the job was he had to be gone early hours and be gone for days, so Alfred hardly sees his father anymore.

"I wonder what he is doing, it isn't like he is working at a high paying job." Alfred grumbled.

Aaron sighed and pulled the American into a side hug.

* * *

When the two reached the docks Alfred's other uncles were standing at the boat looking at the sky with a bored expressions. Alfred smiled as he saw how at peace they looked, even if they were bored. To the right there stood his uncle Dylan, his brown hair swayed with the wind, his fuzzy eyebrows knitted slightly together as if in thought as his jade green eyes studied the clouds. To the left was his uncle Alistair with his fiery red hair spiked up a bit, large eyebrows knitted together as his moss green eyes watched the sky.

"Mornin'!" Alfred called out.

The two men looked over and waved. Alistair walked onto the boat followed by his brother, Alfred and Aaron got on the boat and they got their day started.

"So are we checking the traps?" Alfred asked.

"Yup, we have to check if they traps were moved from that storm that we had last night." Dylan said, looking over the side of the boat.

Alfred nodded and sat on a crate looking at the calm waters. He smiled as he continued to watch the waters. This made the American teen happy when he was out on the waters, was the peaceful and calm feeling that he got every time. Alistair looked at the teen and smiled, remembering the first time he had taken the teen out onto the waters was when he was 9 and very talkative. He remembered the moment that Alfred saw how the water looked and was in silent awe.

* * *

When the boat reached the first area where their traps were set, their were shocked to find them closer to the shore line. Alistair sighed before guiding the boat towards were their traps were, without getting too close to the shallow parts of the water.

"Alfred you and Dylan see if the traps are wrecked. Aaron get the nets." Alistair said, as he lowered the anker.

The American saluted before getting into the water not really minding having his clothes wet, his uncles just ignore it since they like hearing their brother fuss over the teens clothes, it was very entertaining. Alfred carefully pulled the traps apart, untangling the ropes with the help of his uncle.

_Splash!_

The two looked up at each other at the same time.

"Did you hear a splashing sound just now uncle Dylan?" Alfred asked, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"Yeah… I'll get my brothers. You can check it out, howler if you found anything, like a dolphin or something." Dylan joked, before going back to the boat.

Alfred chuckled before looking around the area, undoing the traps as he went. The blond teen could feel the different types of fish brush up against his legs before swimming off. When all of the traps were undone, the American started looking for what made that splashing sound.

Alfred ventured farther looking around. Sudden sounds of frantic splashes caused the American to rush towards to sounds. When he found the source of the sound Alfred froze. Behind a tree that was leaning over the waters edge was a teen with honey blond the barely touch his shoulders, he had pale ivory skin was like the snow. A seal nuzzled the male whining in fear.

A gentle gasped passed through the Americans lips, the honey blond male turned to look at Alfred and froze. The male started to panic and tried to move away from Alfred before a cry of pain came from the honey blond.

"Hey calm down! I can help! Please breath!" Alfred started, "I'm Alfred Jones, what's your name?" Alfred asked.

"M-Matthew Williams." Matthew said.

Alfred smiled at Matthew as he slowly made his way over, but Matthew flinched before whimpering in pain. That was when Alfred noticed the tail, the red and white stripes looked beautiful. But Matthews tail was in an old fishers trap bleeding, Alfred looked at Matthew then at the tail that was stuck in the trap.

"I am going to come over and help you get your tail out of that fishers trap okay?" Alfred said gently.

Matthew froze before thinking it over before nodding. Alfred smiled and slowly came over not wanting to frighten the other and his seal. Matthew looked at Kuma and nuzzled him as Alfred slowly got to work on freeing his tail. Alfred carefully undid the old bolts, pulled back on the clamps before the trap opened and he pulled out the smooth tail.

Matthew smiled before trying to pull away from the teen but the movement of his tail caused him to flinch before whimpering. Alfred noticed this and sighed.

"Matthew calm down your tail is injured and you can't swim like that." Alfred stated, Matthew looked at his tail then at Alfred and nodded sadly.

Alfred took off his shirt and wrapped it around the tail to keep the merman from bleeding out. Matthew watched as Alfred carefully wrapped his tail, before he started to study the other with curiosity. Alfred had short hair wheat blond hair and a little cow lick, he had olive skin that was tanned nicely. Blue eyes that reminded Matthew of the bluest part of the ocean, Matthew noticed that Alfred had a six pack and now scars on his skin.

"There… now since you can't swim I can see if my uncles can help you until you tail heals." Alfred said, Matthew blinked at Alfred.

"Wait here and I'll be right back with them, okay?" Alfred asked, a smile that made Matthew smile in return.

With that Alfred was off and Matthew sat there trembling a bit in fear. Kumajiour wiggled his way onto Matthews lap and nuzzled him gently, the other returned the nuzzle and waited.

* * *

Matthew sighed with his head under the water and started to blow bubbles before lifting his head and looked around. Voices reached the mermans ears and Matthew looked over to see Alfred coming back along with three other males following close behind with a stretcher in one of their hands.

"Hey Matthew I'm back! These are my uncles! The tall redhead is my uncle Alistair, the one with the brown hair is my uncle Dylan, and lastly the one with the blond hair is my uncle Aaron." Alfred said, introducing his uncles who waved when their names were saved.

"M-Matthew Williams." Matthew said.

Dylan smiled before coming closer with the stretcher, Matthew shifted feeling uneasy about the human before looking into his jade green eyes and felt at ease and allowed the man to come closer. Kumajiour sniffed the man before barking with delight. Dylan and the others looked at the smiling male with raised brows.

"Kuma can smell fish on you… I can to…" Matthew said, like it was normal.

"Well we are fishermen after all." Alistair chuckled.

Dylan and Alfred carefully got Matthew onto the stretcher and lift him up high enough so the bottom doesn't drag, but low enough so Matthew's tail stays wet. Matthew had to lay against Alfred's back in order to stay balance on the stretcher. Then they processed to go to the boat while Matthew looked at the ocean with sad eyes. Alistair got on the boat and started to look for something for Matthew to stay in until they can get back to shore.

"Okay we have nothing to put Matthew in but we have lots of blankets that we can use." Alistair said, the others nodded while Matthew was a little nervous about the plan but he couldn't really argue do to his tail.

The fishermen worked to get Matthew onto the boat and the soaked pile of blankets, who protested as they did. Once he was on the boat Alistair carefully placed him on the blankets and covered parts of his tail, Alfred ran below deck in search for a first aid kit. Aaron looked at the injured tail with awe but also with concern, noticing that parts of the injury was infected.

"What are you doing?" Matthew asked, tilting his head slightly.

"I am seeing if there is any infection. There is but we can take care of that for you, lad." Aaron said, covering the it with a blanket as he picked up the now bloody shirt and moved out of Alfred's way when he came back.

"Okay this is going to hurt a little bit…. You can hold my arm if ya want." Alfred said.

Matthew blinked before looking at Alfred with a confused look as to why he should hold the Americans arm. Dylan, Alistair and Aaron knelt down next to the two teens and the seal. Aaron held out some fish and the white seal slid over and was fed.

"One we don't want you hurting your friend, second I think it is best if you did." Alfred said.

Matthew just sighed and did as he was told and held Alfred's arm, the American poured hydrogen peroxide over the wound and Matthew yelped as his grip on the teens arm tightened. Alistair and Aaron held the twitching tail while Dylan and Kumajiour moved behind the whimpering teen and started to calm him down. Alfred quickly started to get a needle and thread ready and began to sow the more serious wounds, Matthew screaming in pain as Daylan hugged the teen, before wrapping the tail up with some gauze.

"Okay there, your good." Alfred said, Matthew just whimpered as he fainted.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

After Matthew fainted they group of fishermen covered the tail once more before pouring a little bit more water onto the blankets. The seal looked at his friend with sad eyes before sliding over to Dylan and barked for more food. He smiled as he pulled out more fish before turning to help his brothers and nephew with the nets. Kumajiour went back to Matthew and started nuzzling him gently before curling up next to the honey blond's head and fell asleep.

Alistair noticed this and pulled out his phone quickly and snapped a photo to print out later… because why not it was a cute sight to see. Alfred made sure that the seal and the blanket didn't dry out as they worked throughout the day, Kumajiour woke up to be fed while Matthew stayed asleep as the fishermen worked.

The day was near its end(around 1 in the afternoon) of the day and they had to go and sell some of the fish that they caught. Now they had a problem. How were they supposed to get Kumajiour and Matthew to their home without people noticing him.

"What are we going to do now?" Dylan said, running a hand through his brown hair.

The others shrugged before looking around.

'_What can we use… Oh that might work!_' Alfred thought.

"Why not that old crate that we used last week, it should be big enough for Matthew and his seal." Alfred said.

Alistair nodded before he walked off to the deck below to grab the crate for the blonde. Alfred carefully lifted Matthew up into his arms and carried him over to where his uncle was filling up the white crate with water.

"Okay, that should do it! Alfred you can place Matthew in." Alistair said.

Alfred nodded and carefully placed the teen into the crate, Matthew instantly curled into a ball under the water. Dylan brought over Kumajiour and placed him in and the group of men watched as the seal and the Merman curl around each other, nuzzling each other before settling down once more.

"I have one thing to say about this," Alfred said, looking up for a moment. "They look so adorable!" He said.

"Agreed." They all said, nodding as Alistair once again pulled out his phone and took another picture. "Okay now let's get these to home while some of us can go to the market to sell some of our latest catch." Alistair added.

* * *

Alfred and Aaron both carried the crate up the dirt path that lead to their home, the duo carefully climbed up the stairs of their two story home and Alfred struggled to open the door when the slumbering blond in the crate shifted. Matthew blinked a few times as he slowly woke from his slumber to find himself in a dark place.

Matthew started to shift in fear of the dark place, Kuma nuzzled him giving a few gentle barks. The blond clicked and whistled in return, curling around his friend as he felt the dark place shift and start to tilt a bit and Matthew started clicking and whistling in panic.

"Okay, we can put the crate in my room and I can get the tube ready for Matthew." Matthew heard Alfred speak.

"Yeah, I think that the lad is either starting to wake up or is awake by now." Aaron agreed.

Matthew felt the crate lower until it was on the ground and then the darkness was suddenly flooded by light. The Merman and the seal both flinched before opening their eyes. Matthew sat up and looked around the semi-neat room, there were some clothes piled up in the corners of the room, the bed unmade. There were posters of superheroes and trinkets were on a desktop and shelves, there stacks of books from comic's to different varieties of school books.

Matthew was in awe looking around the room, he had the sudden urge to touch the bed and feel the fabric against his fingers. To play with the little trinkets and to look at the strange books, Matthew looked at Aaron with wide eyes that held childlike curiosity. The man smile at Matthew and knelt next to him.

"I take it you have never seen anything like this before?" He asked.

Matthew shook his head.

"I've seen similar things like this from shipwrecks… but never like this…. Everything looks so different…" Matthew said slowly.

Aaron chuckled at this and looked at the teen with a curiosity as he slowly looked the teens wide smile.

"Shipwrecks huh? Which ones if you don't mind me asking?"

Matthew paused and thought about his favourite ones, it was hard to pick one but he remembered to one time with his parents that they found some glowing fish and swam to a split ship it was in the north.

"Well there were lots but my favourite one was around the northern area of the sea… I only remember a few letters. T…. T… um.. I.. C." Matthew said, that was when Alfred walked in with a smile.

"You've seen the Titanic?" Alfred asked, kneeling next to the two of them.

"Is that what the name of the ship was? Well it was really cool at the same time creepy and sad." Matthew said.

They nodded before Alfred poked his uncle on the arm. Aaron looked at his nephew and nodded.

"I'll go get a towel. Alfred you think you can?" Aaron started before Alfred nodded.

"Yeah," Alfred chirped before his uncle nodded and left the room before turning back to Matthew. "I'm going to carry you and your pet seal to the tub okay?" Alfred explained.

"Yeah…. And Kumajiour is my friend not a pet." Matthew said, before clarifying his relationship with the seal.

Alfred chuckled before slipping his arms under the water and the one arm carefully slipped under Matthews tail. Once Alfred had a tight yet gently grab on Matthew, the merman grabbed the seal in one arm and hesitantly placed his other around the humans neck. With that Alfred heaved the other out of the crate, water sloshing around at the sudden movement and splashed on to the floor. The American didn't mind since his uncle was grabbing a towel just for this purpose.

Alfred then carried Matthew into the bathroom that was quite large. There was a large tub filled with water, a American flag shower curtain with a black shower curtain behind the first. There was a toilet next to the counter, which both was on the opposite side of the tub. The counter had a toothbrush, toothpaste in a mug that had an eagle on it, there were hair produces and hairbrushes and combs scattered on the counter top.

"So this is where you are going to stay until you are healed enough to go back into the ocean again!" Alfred stated calmly as he put the mythical creature into the water.

"Wait…. You are actually going to set me free when I'm healed? Don't you…. Don't you and your uncles want to expose Merman and Mermaids to the world?" Matthew asked, very shocked by this.

Alfred frowned as he sat on the tubs side. He studied the others face to see pure shock and surprise, he then smiled lightly before answering.

"Why? I think that if people knew then that would put you and your kind in danger. There are already enough problems in this world for us regular people, we don't really need to bring you and your kind in on the problems that we have." Alfred stated, looking at the water with a sad look.

Matthew looked at the teen and leaned onto the side of the tub and folded his arms, placing his head on them.

"Well usually when people find something like me they usually want to either kill us or keep us… I have been told this by lots of merfolk…. But seeing how you and your uncles are, I don't think that you will do such a thing to me and Kuma here." Matthew said, smiling at Alfred.

Kuma swam over and licked the males arm, wanting to be showered with attention. Alfred smiled at the seal and stroked it's wet pelt and the seal barked with happiness. Matthew smiled and looked over at the door to see Aaron putting the wet towels into a woven basket while holding a silver bowl filled with something that smelt like food.

"Oh hello Mr. Aaron!" Matthew chirped.

Kuma looked over and started barking to be fed, Alfred chuckled as he watch the seal do little tricks for them.

"Matthew please just call me Aaron, I feel old when someone calls me Mister." Aaron said.

Alfred chuckled knowing that it is true, Matthew nodded before a faint sound of someone's stomach growling. Matthew blushed before ducking under the water, Alfred and Aaron just smiled at the Merman. Dylan got up and left the room before returning with fish for the honey blond and seal.

* * *

While the men in the bathroom were enjoying some silence while watching Matthew and Kumajiour eat, the door down stairs slammed open and the sound of angry shouting could be heard before the door was slammed shut.

"I'M BACK!" a British voice shouted.

Both Alfred and Aaron paled at this, Matthew and Kuma both looked at the two men before Alfred placed a finger on Matthew's lips and Matthew got the gesture and sunk lower into the water.

"I'll be back tonight with something for you and Kuma to eat." Alfred said as he and Aaron let the bathroom closing the door and left Matthew and Kumajiour by themselves.

"... I wonder who is the new human?" Matthew muttered to himself under the water.

But with a sigh Matthew curled up into a ball and closed his eyes trying hard not to think about his family that he lost. Silver tears fell from Matthew's violet eyes and mixed into the water as he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
